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July-September, 2022

A Journey of Awakening

by Dani Novak, Pathways of Light Ministerial Student

I, this mythical me, was born in Israel as an only child in 1949 to a couple, Zdenka and Zvonko Novak, who lost most of their family in the Holocaust (in the Balkans, former Yugoslavia, 1941). Until age 14 I seemed to experience a happy childhood. The black bird appeared in my life in the form of a high school mate who told me that I was gay. This memorable moment caused me to spiral down quickly into insanity. I will not bother you with the details except to mention that death would have been the sweetest solution, yet I knew that it was not an option and decided to continue living.

Around age 17 I was introduced to Yoga and later to Zen buddhism. I started studying pure Mathematics and in 1976 moved with my wife Haya and our three year old daughter to the USA to complete my PhD at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. After completing my studies our second daughter was born and the four of us moved to Ithaca NY for my first and only job as a college mathematics teacher at Ithaca College (https://www.ithaca.edu/faculty/novak).

Most of my life from age 14 until about 2020 I suffered from deep depressions and at the same time continued to explore spirituality in various forms. The first of the two most significant forms was ACIM. I heard Jerald Jampolsky talk on NPR about the book he wrote: “Love is Letting Go of Fear.” I bought the ACIM book but could not read it for two years because of the Christian style that collided with my Jewish background. But when I entered into a most severe depression the book became an infinite poem and I was singing it in my attic. I also started going to a local ACIM group.

A few years later I experienced another form of transformation when a being of light (in the form of Sathya Sai Baba) entered into my body one night and much fear was transformed. I started traveling to India and ACIM took the back seat until C0VID-19 started. Haya and I got stuck in New Zealand for two years. There I found the Pathways of Light inspirational ACIM daily lessons and also other current ACIM lighthouses. 

I am starting to know that I am not this body nor the mind but am always connected to my Source. This means that I am also not my personality and that the stories I believed and still partially believe in are only relatively true. For example, one story that I am starting to release is that I am a child of Holocaust survivors and that I was my mother’s first husband Fritz who died on the Island of Pag in 1941. But to completely let go of a story, I need to clear the roots and traces that may still be haunting me in the darkness of my subconscious mind. The process still continues.

When my mother died in 2003, I started preparing for a 14-year exploration of the past that started in 2005 and ended in 2019. I wanted to find out what actually happened to my mother’s family. I believe that I need to complete this investigation so that gradually I will be able to let go of the story and eventually all stories and travel the journey without distance from nowhere to Now Here. I summarized my findings in this 18 minute youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zairekm47Yw

I am very grateful for A Course in Miracles and the Pathways of Light program that help me navigate from the unreal to the Real, gradually bringing me back to the sanity of my True Nature. (I started taking the ministerial courses with Greg Hesch).

Over the years I experienced so many miracles that were like drops of water to a man dying from thirst in the desert of this world. One memorable experience was that out of a deep depression I was transported to a white room with lots of water, that was actually my mother’s womb. Then suddenly, I saw a cave and in it the ugliest and scariest monster my mind could imagine. When I saw the monster I was literally transported to Heaven and sang Hallelujahs for about 15 minutes.

Later I understood that I was so happy since I knew that I am not that monster (my fears) but an infinite soul always united with God. The monster was a symbol for my distress in the womb when my mother, who was pregnant with Trauma and guilt, could not respond to my call for Love.
I hope to continue sharing inspiring experiences in the upcoming offerings of Miracles News.

Dani Novak is a Pathways of Light ministerial student who lives in Ithaca NY. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2022, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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July-September, 2022

The Best Job Ever

by Rev. Larry Glenz, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

“I will accept my part in God’s plan for salvation.”  (W-pI.98)

I have had the honor of coaching boys’ lacrosse at Lynbrook High School for a very long time. I started in 1972 and have coached in the program now for 50 consecutive seasons. Not many coaches get that opportunity and it has certainly shaped the path of my adult life.

Last month I was honored by the National Interscholastic Lacrosse Coaches Association (NILCA) with an induction into their Hall of Fame. Ten coaches from across the country get honored each year as the game of lacrosse continues to spread like wildfire in all parts of the U.S. The induction alone was humbling, no doubt. But there was something else going on that made my heart soar.

“God’s peace and joy are mine.” (W-pI.105)

The Hall of Fame induction was being held on Long Island where I live and have coached all these years. The other inductees mostly came from different states and had to travel a long way to receive the honor. As they say in sports, I had the home field advantage.

To my surprise over 50 former players paid $130 a head on a Saturday night to see me receive my award and give a 5-minute speech. These former players consisted of men in their 60’s, 50’s, 40’s, 30’s, and 20’s. Former teammates of mine in college, now in the 70’s, were also in attendance. They were fired up and full of love to see each other. It was a joyous night!

“I am surrounded by the Love of God.” (W-pII.264)

Many, many more contacted me by phone, email, and texts to tell me specifically how I influenced their lives. The rush of love that I was receiving made me feel overwhelming gratitude for the position of teacher and coach that was given to me 50 years ago.

They talked with me all night about the brotherhood that brought them all together that night. After the awards dinner we all went out to a local pub where I received hugs, kisses, and slaps on the back. All I felt that night was love and deep gratitude for my job as teacher and coach. I stayed until the last one left. It was 3 am!

“God is my strength. Vision is his gift.” (W-p.I.42)

There was one table there of ten 38 year-old men. They were my late son Kevin’s closest friends. A few of them did not play lacrosse but came to honor their friend Kevin by honoring his father. They also befriended Kevin’s brother Matt in the years since Kevin’s passing and sat with him at the dinner. That gesture of loving compassion from all these young men touched my heart most deeply.

In my short speech I expressed the love I have received from these former players in both the good times and bad. Hundreds reached out to me in sincere love when Kevin died in 2010 and hundreds more reached out in celebration and joy on this glorious night.

They told so many old stories—sometimes different versions of the same stories, it seemed to me. As they say, never let the truth get in the way of a good story. But we all laughed and laughed and laughed even more.

“I trust my brothers, who are one with me.” (W-pI:181)

The joy of union with my brothers during this wonderful evening had my thoughts moving rapidly all night. There weren’t many moments where I wasn’t in discussion with the former players, catching up on their lives. They told me how much they valued their time with me when they were young men.

“Love is the way I walk in gratitude.” (W-pI.195)

My constant thoughts were of gratitude for a life of teaching history to teenage boys and girls and coaching high school boys in football, wrestling, and lacrosse. There is nothing more satisfying than observing how these kids have turned into such impressive men.

The many kindnesses showered upon me reinforced my belief of how I have been carried by Spirit throughout my life. I look forward with great anticipation of how Spirit will use me today and give thanks for being given the best job ever.

“To give and to receive are one in truth.” (W-pI.108)

Rev. Larry Glenz, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Long Beach, NY. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) Website: larryglenz.com

© 2022, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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July-September, 2022

To Ukraine with Love

by Rev. Maureen L. Yarbrough, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

Ukraine—How can I choose to see peace instead of unfairness, sadness, despair, warfare, and destruction?

For me to make sense of the nonsensical (which is all in this world) I choose to see Russia as the ego. Its mission is to be special, powerful, strong, and mighty. Does this mission make it so? Does the demise result in peace or more demise? Hate begets hate here in this world of illusion. This world is designed to be painful and result in separation and angst. It would be silly of me to expect anything else.

Ken Wapnick used to say, “act normal” here. And I so appreciate that and hold onto to it, for any reaction that is not kind and loving, such as dismissing the tragedies of this world with malice or even humor, will result in more unkindness here. No, thank you.

In my openness, heart-light, and love I can encapsulate all Ukrainians, who are One with me, and, as most especially, as uncomfortable as this may be, it is so necessary to include all Russian soldiers, civilians and leaders and energetically imagine them all as they really are, Love and Light, perfect, whole, complete, united! I can choose to sit in the beauty and surety of this reality, experience the soul-tingle of Oneness.

Victory is only of God as it is all that God knows, and as I am One with him, apart from this world, therefore, even though I forget, it is all that I know. With a sigh and am able to tap into that and breathe. Love begets Love. There is no way around this as Love is all there is.

“The means of war are not the means of peace, and what the warlike would remember is not love. War is impossible unless belief in victory is cherished.” (T-23.I.1:3-4)

“An instant offered to the Holy Spirit is offered to God on your behalf, and in that instant, you will awaken gently in Him. In the blessed instant you will let go all your past learning, and the Holy Spirit will quickly offer you the whole lesson of peace.” (T-15.II.1:6-7)

Laying down all else, stepping outside of my box, this is how I awaken to the miracle. Leaving behind what I imagine, which is absolutely everything that is not of this very moment. Stop analyzing, victimizing, and being defensive over thoughts in my head. Oh, the power I can give to these streams of lies!

Past or future they are all vain imaginings into hell—separation, desolation. It can be quite humorous how I will snatch on to any worldly offense (judgment) and turn it into a vast empire that has officially declared war against me.

Not realizing the freedom in the moment, and each new beginning granted to me in simply pausing and letting go, allowing in peace, I easily slip into condemnation from past behavior, my past harms, or future imaginings. These stories kept me in the fetal position wishing for death, the bottle in my hand, a person in my bed, empty candy bar wrappings in a pile around me, and monsters in my head. They destroyed any possibility of present joy. I was a prisoner. I blamed others for holding onto and hiding the key to my cell door lavishing in the thought of my living hell. Meanwhile, I had a death grip on this hard cold piece of metal in my hand.

“The power of decision is your one remaining freedom as a prisoner of this world.” (T-12.VII.9:1)

With a deep breath I can let go of my judgments; I can let go of my tiny perceptions that will never see the entire picture, regardless of how hard I try. I let go of thinking that I know better than God. I let go of it all and simply hold on to the Love… behave from the Love… share the Love…shine the Love.  And so, it is!

Rev. Maureen L. Yarbrough, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Yulee, FL Email:momohere@gmail.com Web: https://runningwithbulldogs.com/acim/

© 2022, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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July-September, 2022

“I Am Not a Body, I Am Free”

by Rev. Ashley Rose Legrand, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

I know the Course was brought to me for so many reasons but one in particular has been for the healing of my relationship to my body. As a former professional bodybuilder, my body image was everything. It defined me. And as a former overweight child and young adult, that new image held even more meaning. It gave me importance. It made me special. It allowed me to leave a hurtful, uncomfortable image behind and with it many hurtful and uncomfortable feelings too (or so I thought).

When the ‘perfection’ of my body started to fade and recede, with it went my peace, my happiness, my sane mind. Evidently this “perfect body” was not the silver bullet I had thought it was.

As I have leaned into my study and practice of the Course over the past few years with a willingness and a vigilance like never before, I have seen miracles at the level of my body, which I know have only come from healing my mind. A determination to transform my perception and asking to see things differently. “The body will respond with health when thoughts in need of healing have been corrected and replaced with truth.” (W-pI.135.10:1)

I still stumble sometimes and get caught in the ego’s dream, but it is less and less now. And the intensity of the hold is nothing like it used to be. By learning to see myself as I truly am — innocent, sinless and completely loving, beyond the “shell” which I call a body, I have come to understand the truth. I have come to grow a confidence and a knowing like never before ­— a knowing that I am way more than this physical form.

“The body is easily brought into alignment with a mind that has learned to look beyond it toward the light.” (T-2.V.6:6)

By looking through and beyond it I can see the depth of my being. I can see the spark of Light and the seed of Love that God planted deep within me. I know this is my Source. Here is my salvation. Right here, in my very own hands. I’ve had the power all along. I just wasn’t choosing to see it.

“It is your mind which gave the body all the functions that you see in it.” (W-pI.135.6:4)

“Yet it is not the body that can fear, nor be a thing of fear. It has no needs but those which you assign to it.” (W-pI.135.5:1-2)

My ego mind was too loud and I fed it too often. It gave my body immense importance and became trapped in this tunnel of negative thinking.

I can now witness these moments and these thoughts and recognize them. By doing so, I lessen their power. I do not strengthen or uphold them. Instead I watch them crumble, brick by brick, layer by layer, until the whole foundation is nothing more than dust. God’s loving embrace swoops in like a cool breeze and takes that dust, up and away, to be transformed into my right perception, to return to me, my loving right mind.

I am so grateful for the Course, for Pathways, for my teachers and for my own willingness, to have my misperceptions brought to truth. And to come so far in my journey in an area that had previously brought me tremendous pain and torment.

I am still advancing in my journey with my relationship to my body, but I have accessed a more comfortable place within me; a place of acceptance. I am accepting that this one issue does not define me or hold the key to my worthiness; accepting that “I do not perceive my own best interests” and “I do not know what anything is for”; and that maybe, just maybe, this is an important part of my ministry.

As Miracle principle 3 of A Course In Miracles states, “Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love.” (T-1.I.3:1) I am learning that the more love I send to myself through my thoughts, words and actions, the more I will continue to experience a change in perception, which is the miracle I’ve been hoping for.

“I am spirit. I am the son of God. No body can contain my spirit, nor impose on me a limitation God created not.” (W-pI.114.1:2-3)

I must remind myself regularly that I am worthy and that nothing I do can take that away. I am unlimited. I am free. I am still as God created me. And I am willing, to remember this.

Rev. Ashley Rose Legrand, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Metuchen, New Jersey. Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

© 2022, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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